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Because the Microsoft Store bolted-on to Windows 10 isn't exactly a bustling thoroughfare

The rumour mill has been cranked all the way up to 11 with "reliable sources" claiming that Microsoft is not just looking to buy popular games developer Electronic Arts (EA), but Valve Software, which is responsible for the genuinely popular Steam gaming portal, and PUBG Corp, the company behind Player Unknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG).

The supposedly reliable sources have been quoted by gaming website Polygon that suggests that the company is looking to beef-up its Xbox gaming arm.

Rumours of such acquisitions appear have been fuelled by the promotion of long-term Xbox figurehead Phil Spencer, who will now head up Microsoft's leadership team, a move that suggests that Redmond is serious about its gaming division.

The Xbox One, even with the 'most powerful console in the world' Xbox One X, still lags behind Sony's PlayStation 4 in terms of overall sales. Many would claim this is down to a lack of captivating exclusive games, so buying the biggest names in gaming could be one way past this.

EA is one of the biggest players in gaming with a net value of around $7 billion, while Valve grew from a small startup led by Microsoft refugee Gabe Newell into by far and away the biggest platform for PC games with Steam.

It also produces a series of enduringly popular PC games, including Team Fortress 2, Counterstrike:Global Offensive (CS:GO) and Dota 2.

PUBG Corp, meanwhile, is the front company of South Korean games maker Bluehole and David Greene, the "Player Unknown" in the wildly popular Battle Royale-inspired Player Unknown's Battlegrounds.

In less than a year, it has become by far and away the most popular game on Steam, with at least around 2.5 million players at any one time and worth a few billion dollars in its own right.

However, a newly launched Xbox version means that Microsoft doesn't, strictly speaking, need to buy the company if its sole intention is to bring more good games to the Xbox platform.

It is an open question, though, whether such acquisitions conform to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's vision for Microsoft as a cloud-focused software vendor.

Furthermore, it's open to question whether the companies' corporate cultures would fit in at Microsoft.